Wild Forest

Relations after Divorce

2008-11-17T00:42:00.000-08:00

When you have left your partner, there are a lot of things left that tie you. For example children. Even after divorce you have to meet a lot because children should have both a mother and a father. But in spite of the fact that you meet each other very often there should be some boundaries in your communication.

So, if it happens so that your ex-partner behaves as if you are married, it is possible to:
1. establish guidelines
2. create different households
3. when emotional ties have become too intimidating, address professionals.

The most important thing is to protect your children from anxiety concerning your relations. Don't involve them into your communication.

Does Financial Crisis Somehow Influence You?

2008-11-07T01:28:00.000-08:00

Here and there I hear a lot of stories and claims concerning financial crisis and its influence on people's budget. Businessmen worry most of all because they have to work hard to keep their company good state and not to go bankrupt. Some of them do everything right and don't suffer from crisis.

Most of the wages become lower and many employees are hired. The situation is really upsetting and the most awful thing is that we don't even know when it will be over.

The History of Jack of the Lantern

2008-10-30T22:53:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows that pumpkin carving is a usual part of Halloween celebration in America. But in spite of the fact that carving is widely spread among Americans in autumn, only a few of them know when the tradition of jack o'lantern began.

Stingy Jack was a man who always played tricks on Devil and forced him not to disturb him for several years. When Jack died God didn't want such a figure on heaven and the Devil as he had promised didn't send him to hell. So, he sent Jack into the dark night with a coal to light up his way. Jack put the coal into the curved-out turnip and was wandering along the Earth. Since that time Irish people began to call this figure as "Jack of the Lantern" or simply "Jack O'Lantern".

Protect Yourself from Credit Card Fraud

2008-10-28T00:53:00.000-07:00

Probably you have already faced the situation when you have been on the verge of credit card fraud. May be your relatives were in such a problem. The consequences of credit fraud may be different and it is not an easy matter to turn the things back.

You lose all your money and can find yourself in deep debt. Your credit score is damaged and you have to start everything from the very beginning. Luckily, nowadays a lot of credit card companies think of the ways to prevent credit cardholders from fraud.

What Is Going On?

2008-10-27T04:02:00.000-07:00

If you watch TV regularly, you have probably noticed what kind of TV shows and films are screened. I don't have enough spare time to watch TV, may be I'm lucky.

Recently I decided to give myself a rest and watch some TV programs. Of course much depends on the channel. First of all there is too much advertisement on TV, sometimes too outright. I see that the world is developing and everything is done according to the new tendencies but there should be some proprieties observed. Why them people get puzzled when they see what small children and young people are talking about? Most of the things they take from TV programs and films. I think that the choice of programs should be done in accordance with some moral principles.

Waiting for the Doctor's Appointment

2008-10-24T02:09:00.000-07:00

Most of us consider it boring to go to hospital.Some of us hate the smell of them and are afraid of doctors since childhood. Others hate sitting in the hospital waiting for the appointment. During that time they manage to do many things: to think about life, do some job, read the book, have a call, check the mail and anything that comes to their mind.

There are ways out in this situation:
1. To revolt. Ask some other people sitting and waiting for the appointment to stage a revolt with you.
2. Change the doctor.
3. Wait if you can't or don't want to do anything of the above mentioned.

Serious Economic Changes

2008-10-22T03:32:00.000-07:00

USA economy is suffering great changes. There is a large crisis on the credit card market because Americans have too many credit accounts and are not able to pay them off on time. Unfortunately the crisis has a bad impact on the economic situation of other developed countries. No one knows how long this situation will last, but it is getting more and more worse.

People are refused in giving credit and most companies are not able to give the wages to people on time. That causes complaints and indignation among people.

Each Season Gives Moments of Happiness

2008-10-01T03:08:00.000-07:00

Spring comes with flowers, autumn with the moon, summer with the breeze, winter with snow. When idle concerns don't fill your thoughts, that's your best season.

Autumn has already come and the streets are filled with leaves of different colors, shapes and sizes. It's such a pleasure to walk along the park enjoying the beauty of this season. You shouldn't complain about the weather, enjoy every moment that this time of the year gives you. Every season is good and as it is said there is no bad weather.

no more credit cards at gas stations

2008-06-20T00:45:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of gas stations where you can't pay with your credit card no more? When gas station manager Roger Randolph realized it was costing him money each time someone filled up with $4-a-gallon gas, he hung a sign on his pumps: "No more credit cards."

He may be the first in West Virginia to ban plastic, but gas station operators nationwide are reporting similar woes as higher prices translate into higher credit card fees the managers must pay, squeezing profits at the pump.

"The more they buy, the more we lose," said Randolph, who manages Mr. Ed's Chevron in St. Albans. "Gas prices go up, and our profits go down."

His complaints target the so-called interchange fee — a percentage of the sale price paid to credit card companies on every transaction. The percentage is fixed — usually at just under 2 percent — but the dollar amount of the fee rises with the price of the goods or services.

As gas tops $4 a gallon, that pushes fees toward 10 cents a gallon. Now stations, which typically mark up gasoline by 11 to 12 cents a gallon, are seeing profits shrink or even reverse.

In a good month, Randolph's small operation would yield a $60 profit on gasoline sales. But that's been buried as soaring prices forced the station to pay about $500 a month in interchange fees.

"At these prices, people aren't making any money," said Jeff Lenard, spokesman for the Alexandria, Va.-based National Association of Convenience Stores. "It's brutal."

Lenard's group reports convenience stores paid roughly $7.6 billion in credit card fees last year, while making $3.4 billion in profits.

The way interchange fees are structured has long annoyed retailers, prompting calls for relief.

Legislation pending in the U.S. House and Senate would allow merchants to bargain collectively with major credit and debit card companies.

The National Retail Federation says gas prices point to the unfairness of the system: Gas stations are paying more in interchange fees because the price of gas has gone up, while the cost of processing credit or debit cards remains the same.

Credit Trap

2008-05-23T03:41:00.000-07:00

Credit was once defined as "Man's Confidence in Man." But in fact, the definition of credit today is more like "Man's Confidence in Himself." Using credit today means you have confidence in your future ability to pay that debt. Forty years ago, your parents may have paid cash for their homes and their cars, a largely unheard-of event today. If they borrowed money at all, chances are it was from a relative or friend, and not a financial institution. And today anyone can obtain a credit card, which is a doubtful advantage. You can now even apply for credit cards with bad credit. The question is where will that lead us??

Fill your tank in the morning

2008-05-16T02:33:00.000-07:00

There are some misleading facts on how to save on gasoline.

You may have heard that it's best to fill your gas tank in the early morning while the fuel is cold. The theory goes that fluids are more dense at lower temperatures, so a gallon of cold gas actually has more gas molecules than a gallon of warmer gas.

But the temperature of the gasoline as it comes out of the nozzle varies little during the course of the day, according to Consumer Reports, so there's little, if any, benefit, to getting up early to pump gas.

2008-05-02T02:06:00.000-07:00

I think everyone has heard about the accident that happened in Madison, Wis. The college student dialed 911 from a cell phone, but they never sent police for investigation, and she was killed. The case is being investigated and it's rather early to say if she could be saved in case the police had been sent. What do you think?

FICO score

2008-04-08T03:58:00.000-07:00

I've heard they gonna switch to a new system of calculating FICO score, so it's gonna be not an easy task to apply for 0% credit card offers anymore. What do you know about it?

Drivers and global warming

2008-04-03T02:46:00.000-07:00

I've just read an article on the problem of global warming and how does it influence drivers. The drivers in Los Angeles County will have to pay extra 9 cents per gallon at the gas stations or additional $90 on their car registration fees, to help fight the problem of global warming. The money will be used to sponsor public transportation and other projects that ease traffic congestion. Is it fair or not (taking into account that such projects are already sucking down taxpayers' dollars)?

Green Car Technologies

2008-02-14T22:16:00.000-08:00

Speaking of environmentally friendly cars there are a bunch of green car technologies. The most promising alternative technologies are biodiesel, diesel, e-flex, electric, ethanol, hybrid, hydrogen fuel cell, hydrogen internal-combustion, natural gas, plug-in hybrid. These types of clean fuel definitely have lot of advantages over gasoline. But I was looking through some gas credit card offers and there's still a question if credit companies are going to issue cards for alternative fuel.

2008-02-14T21:35:00.000-08:00

I want to share some of my ideas about environmentally friendly cars. High gas prices, global warming are causing interest in cars and trucks with alternative powertrains, like gasoline-electric hybrids, clean diesels, ethanol and, fuel cells that run on hydrogen. There are some luxurious eco friendly cars too. Among them are Volvo C30, Tesla Roadster, Saab Bio Power 100, Mini Cooper, Mercedes Benz E320. Envirinmental protection mania have spread on the most reputable brands!

Financial Crisis

2008-01-24T04:28:00.000-08:00

First months of the new year brought America some serious challenges. I found this curious article at and want to share it with you. It covers the most urgent problem of financial crisis in US. Its signs are evident and the question is what's going to happen with the credit cards market.